Category Archives: Simplifying Style

My Spring Capsule Wardrobe

I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of a capsule wardrobe but felt like I needed to purge my closet before I could focus my brain on a set wardrobe. It’s been over six months since I KonMaried my closet and I’ve gotten comfortable with having a paired-down selection of clothes. Now I’m ready to figure out what I really have left to work with.

A few weeks ago I pulled out all of the spring items in my closet, photographed them, and then took stock of what I had. For the most part, it felt like a pretty complete spring wardrobe. The only glaring hole was the lack of work appropriate blouses. So in the middle of photographing my clothes, I purchased a few more workwear items and I feel pretty excited about the end result.

I’m not aiming for a specific number of items to create a capsule wardrobe. Right now I have 37 items in my closet and I don’t see me needing to buy anything else in the near future. That might change once the weather gets too hot to even wear short sleeves and I’ll address that in a future blog post when that time comes.

Here is my 37-item Spring Capsule Wardrobe:

Tops

capsule_wardrobe_tops_spring2016

Loft pocket shell | Uniqlo oxford | Sincerely Jules t-shirt | Madewell top
H&M blouse | Primark t-shirt | Penfield oxford | Loft pocket shell
Marshalls blouse | Madewell v-neck | Anthropologie blouse | Loft sleeveless top
Secondhand black t-shirt | Primark short-sleeve oxford | Cos short-sleeve cardigan | Everlane cardigan

Bottoms

capsule_wardrobe_bottoms_spring2016

Uniqlo jeans | H&M jeans | Old Navy jeggings | Blank NYC jeans
Isaac Mizrahi pants x 2 | Loft skirt | Squash Blossom Boutique skirt

Outerwear

capsule_wardrobe_outerwear_spring2016

Etsy wool jacket | June leather jacket | J. Crew jackt
Everlane rain jacket | Joie blazer | Zara bomber jacket

Shoes

capsule_wardrobe_shoes_spring2016

Adidas sneakers | L.K. Bennett flats | Yosi Samra slip-ons | J. Crew Factory flats
TopShop flats | And Other Stories pumps | Office oxfords

Some thoughts on my spring capsule wardrobe:

  • I took a page from the Unfancy blog and did not include active wear, lounge wear, underwear, socks, accessories. None of that stuff really changes for me season to season.
  • Most of my spring wardrobe consists of items that I wore throughout the fall and winter and I’m sure there will be a lot of overlap in the summer.
  • A lot of folks who create a capsule wardrobe store their nonseasonal items in boxes. I’ve kept all of my clothes in my closet per Marie Kondo’s advice. You can see my full closet inventory here.
  • I’ve noticed that since minimalizing my wardrobe, some of the items look pretty worn after six months to a year. I usually hold off for as long as possible before giving them away, but this capsule wardrobe project really helped me objectively look at the condition of my clothes.
  • I’m not sure how long this spring wardrobe will last in its entirety. It’s already starting to feel like summer in Atlanta and I might be breaking out my sandals well before June!

One In, One Out

The one in, one out policy is not a new concept for minimalism. I always admired the idea of not increasing the amount of things you own, but didn’t think it was really possible. Now that I’ve minimalized my closet, it’s pretty easy to keep a handle on what I have, what I need, and what I need to get rid of.

So when my beloved Feiyue sneakers bit the dust last month, I replaced them with a shiny new pair of Stan Smiths. I know, I know. Stan Smiths are everywhere and almost passé, but I love the shape and simplicity of the design.

shoes_stan_smiths

Just like my Feiyues, these Stan Smiths are the ultimate weekend shoe. There’s no need to break them in and they’re really comfortable without socks.

So in honor of my first legit one in, one out attempt, here’s a good ol’ fashion outfit post!

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Truly Madly Deeply tank from Urban Outfitters | Baggu tote | Jawbone | Everlane cardi | Old Navy Jeggings | Adidas Stan Smiths

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cath-close-upSimple weekend make-up: Physicians formula tinted moisturizer | NYX brow mascara in Espresso | Milani lipstick in Rose Femme | Tarte blush in Exposed

A Mini Spring Closet Clean-out

For the past few weeks I’ve noticed that there are a handful of items I no longer wear in my closet. After my thorough KonMari-ing and inventory-keeping, it’s become easier to see which items aren’t making the cut (items I only reach for when I haven’t done laundry in a while). It only took a few minutes to clean out the following:

springcleaningwardrobe

1 workout tank that I’ve worn for the past 7 years. It’s gotten so stretched out that I have to wear a sports bra underneath even though it comes with a built-in bra.

1 pair of my (beloved) Frye boots. I’ve had these boots for years and years and I’ve gotten them re-soled a number of times, but now they’re just looking so tired that I can’t wear them to work anymore. Years of wear and tear has turned them into the leather boot equivalent of Uggs.

1 pair of Feiyues sneakers. Love these! I got them a long time ago when we hosted a Feiyue giveaway on this blog and fell in love with their shape (molded to the foot) and comfort. They’ve held up after a few washes, but the inside soles keep rolling up and no matter how much glue I use, they refuse to stay in place.

2 black shirts. Both have some sort of embellishment (one has a sheer back, the other has zips on the side), but I rarely wear them because I have so. many. other. black. tops.

1 Topshop ring – it was a favorite last year. I still love the style, but the metal is changing colors and the plastic gem is super cloudy – it was around $15 so no surprise there. I almost kept it, but wearing a ring that is obviously cheap makes me feel like I’m not winning at the whole adulting thing.

4 necklaces that I think are fantastic but never wear.

3 bracelets – they came in a set of four and I only wear one at a time.

1 Zara bag that Lar gave me last year. She used it for a few years and then I wore it to death. It was an awesome bag, but it started to fray around the handles. Once again, frayed purse handles = not adulting.

jewelryboard

Now that my jewelry board is so empty (my sad 5-year-old DIY tissue paper tassels had to go), I need to rethink my jewelry storage set up. Any suggestions?

This clean out also gives me the chance to see what I need for the spring:

1-2 work-appropriate skirt(s).

3 work-appropriate blouses that are not dry clean only.

1 nice gold ring in a modern shape (it might take me some time to save up for this one).

I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty pumped about buying some new clothes. Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone!

Everything I’ve Bought so far in 2016

Okay, 13 things. That’s not horrible in 2.5 months, right? And technically it’s 18 things (when I was snapping away, I forgot about my oil diffuser and four cloth napkins). Still, not an insignificant number if you are trying to live with less.

But that’s okay. Cath and I have not considered ourselves minimalists in any strict sense. That’s why we are learning to live with less. Living with less isn’t a fixed goal. I don’t think once I own only 200 items, I’ll be complete! Or once I stop buying things, I’ll have reached an inner contentment (oh, if only it were so easy). It’s learning how little I can live with without feeling too restricted. And I honestly think that is different for everybody and will change for you depending on where you’re at in the rollercoaster of life.

I started getting rid of stuff five years ago right before I moved overseas. I got rid of a lot so that I could move to Edinburgh with just two wheelie suitcases in tow. At the time it felt liberating!

And then, a few months after wearing the same staples in my wardrobe again and again, I lost my mojo.

I currently have a very small closet (compared to my pre-Scotland days) but it took me a few years to figure out how to create a small closet/wardrobe that I love and don’t feel restricted by.

So don’t feel discouraged if you take three steps forward and two steps back when you’re learning to live with less. You will buy new stuff and possibly regret getting rid of certain things, but overall, learning about what you really love and need is the joyful part of this process.

And even the process won’t stay the same for you. What you love and need will change with your life. That might sound obvious, but I definitely didn’t get that when I first started getting rid of things.

After getting rid of things five years ago, I really thought “okay, now I won’t ever have to worry about shopping again — I’ll just replace what I have once pieces get too worn.” But my style has changed and so have my editing abilities. Give yourself some breathing room as you learn and as external changes happen in your life.

The same goes with KonMari-ing. When I KonMaried my flat in Edinburgh, the method worked perfectly for me and for the next year that I lived in that flat. Once we moved back to the States, methods that worked in my old flat didn’t translate as well here — so I’m still figuring that out.

And “figuring stuff out” is all part of it. So enjoy the process and don’t worry if you feel like you aren’t always adhering to your rules (or Marie Kondo’s rules) perfectly. Being too restrictive or hard on yourself will make any process unsustainable. Learning to live with less is all about what works best for you, while helping sustain our beautiful wee place in the universe.

Draw on your shirt

One huge perk to shopping less (apart from being better for your wallet, the environment and garment workers around the world), you stop looking like everyone else!

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve worn the same H&M or Zara dress/shirt/shoes/etc. I don’t find this embarrassing because growing up with an identical twin, I’m used to looking like someone else. But I still like thinking my style is somewhat unique and not just a slave to trends.

Avoiding the high street shops/the mall, I really am hard-pressed showing up some place dressed the same way, even as Cath!

I also tend to get more compliments on my less trendy clothes. For example, I got this idea stuck in my head that I really wanted to take black pen to a nice crisp white shirt (who doesn’t?). So I bought a $3 white button-up at Goodwill, gave it a wash, and took a fabric-safe black pen from my local art supply store and went to town.

It’s a little weird, and I still haven’t worn it to the office, but it’s one of my favorite things in my closet.

Lar shirt draw

Lar shirt

Lar shirt front

Oprah KonMaried Her Closet and …

… Some other “living with less” links to keep you motivated this week:

• How The Lady O herself is living with less 

• The Things We Keep (TTWK) is a beautiful jewelry line that is right up our motto-alley: buying well-made items that you’ll keep forever

• Erin Boyle always helps us to slow down and appreciate the beauty in the “mundane” stuff we already own

Photo credit

One Pair of Sunglasses

When Lar and I first posted our inventories earlier this year, I got a text from a friend that said, “One pair of sunglasses only?!” That was when I realized I had gone from a hoarder of sunglasses (lots of cheapies) to a single sunglasses owner without even realizing it. I remember giving away a bunch at some point, but my goal wasn’t to just own one pair. It just turns out the only sunglasses that “sparked joy” were my Marc by Marc Jacobs cat eyes (see photo above). I wear them all the time and have for years – evidence here, here, here, and here. Lar even got the same pair because she liked them so much (that’s Lar above left and me above right).

This is all to say that owning one nice thing versus lots of not-as-nice things really is all it’s cracked up to be. I never miss not having more sunglasses options and after three years, this one pair has held up really well.

Since I’m on the subject of nicer things, I do want to point out that I’m not talking about luxury items. I’m not going to run out and buy a beautifully-made Mansur Gavriel bag and give away my current bag collection. For one thing, learning to live with less isn’t about getting new stuff (even if it’s better made), it’s about appreciating what I already have. And I also don’t have anywhere close to $425 to spend on a bag (which by luxury standards is cheap). Those Marc by Marc sunglasses I keep going on about? One reason I could splurge on a pair of $120 sunglasses is because we receive gift cards from our long-time blog sponsor (see widget to the right) Shopbop.

Without Shopbop sponsorship money, Lar and I would not have a lot of the luxury pieces that we do in our closets like Lar’s Ferragamos and our matching gold Jennifer Zeuner bracelets. We try to be conscious of buying items that are made ethically and that we’ll wear again and again and again.

Even so, Lar and I have been discussing how we would like to approach sponsors now that we are learning to live with less stuff. This might mean that in the future our sponsorship changes or we go without consumer-driven sponsors.

We’d love to hear your feedback too.

If you guys are saving up for some “luxury” items, Shopbop is currently having a sale (see details below). Also, we are interested to know what our readers define as luxury because we know, for us, it doesn’t just mean designer or expensive.

shopbopsale

Coming to Terms With My Winter Coat

This title might be a little dramatic, but hear me out. Even though I’m on a journey to reduce my worldly possessions, I still care about being somewhat stylish. If I had all the money in the world, I would create my ideal, minimalist wardrobe from the ground up. But I don’t have gobs of money and it’s probably for the best. For one thing, it would be wasteful to give away all of my clothes and go on a shopping spree. Also, I think having a budget and working with what you have builds character – at least that’s what I tell myself.

My winter coat is one of those character-building instances. Before my KonMari purge of my closet, I had at least five winter coats. Most of them were easy to get rid of because they either didn’t fit or they were dated. I was left with two coats: an Eddie Bauer puffer and a wool J. Crew coat. I ended up giving away the J. Crew coat even though it was well-made because the style was a little cute for me – it had toggle buttons.

That left me with the Eddie Bauer coat, which is a fine, practical winter coat, but not the best when it comes nicer outtings – weddings, professional networking events, etc. It just doesn’t look right to mix the informality of a puffer coat with a dress and heels. At least that’s what I thought and had my eye on buying this coat. My only problem was that I didn’t have $250 to spend on a coat. So I’ve had to make do with my puffer coat.

I know in the great scheme of things, it’s not a big deal (first world problems of only having one winter coat and what not), but I just don’t feel super pulled-together when I put on my puffer coat. For example, this outfit would be so much more chic if I had a wool trench on instead.

Nevertheless, I’ve slowly come to terms with only having this one coat this season. For one thing, it’s not overly puffy and frumpy – before cleaning out my closet, I rarely wore it because I thought it made me look like the Michelin man. I’ve also realized that my life is not as glamorous as I thought because I rarely have a fancy event to go to where a nicer coat is required. And lastly, I’ve been inspired by James Spader and his parka.

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Eddie Bauer coat (similar) | Baggu tote | YARNZ scarf | Old Navy jeggings | Jeffrey Campbell boots (similar)

How many rings does one girl need?

For the last few posts, I’ve been blabbing on and on about how good I am at getting rid of things and learning to live with less. But there are still a few categories of stuff that I have that I just can’t seem to whittle down. Jewelry is one of them.

Jewelery3

I don’t wear a lot of jewelry anymore (though I used to — accessoriessss!), but I can’t give away things given to me. I know the memory of that person is more important than the thing that I have, but that line of thinking doesn’t work for me with jewelry for some reason.

When I sorted through my closet, I did go through my jewelry and got rid of some pieces that I was loath to part with but never wear. I felt very proud of myself — carefully putting the pieces in ziplock baggies so that the Good Will staff didn’t just have a tangled mess to deal with:

Jewelery-goodwill

But I still have way more left over than I will ever wear: my alma mater ring, a pearl necklace given to me by my cousin when I was 9 or 10, a mood ring given to me by my favorite design client, a butterfly brooch that makes me think of friends in Scotland.

Jewelery2

For now I’ll let my collection be and maybe tackle it in the future.I know Cath mentioned how hard it was for her to get rid of books.What do you guys find the hardest to part with and how do you grapple with letting it go?

Does it spark joy?

One of the trickiest parts of trying to live with less, is holding on to stuff for the wrong reason. In the KonMari Method, Marie Kondo suggests holding each item you own before you decide to keep it or toss it. She says if it “sparks joy” you should keep it.

I totally agree with Marie on holding each item and not just standing back and looking at your stuff, but I think the “spark joy” tenet is a bit tricky to follow.

Very rarely do things like electric toothbrushes or spatulas “spark joy” but I do absolutely need both of those things on a regular basis. Another example of things that may or may not spark joy? Shoes!

Here are some of my shoes as an example. See those pretty Rachel Comey silver oxfords up at the top of this post? Those 100%, definitely spark joy all over the place when I wear them or just look adoringly at them in the closet.

But what about these (see below) less inspiring, 4-year-old tennis shoes? These definitely don’t spark joy. Usually when they are on my feet that means I’m sweating up a storm and extremely tired and cranky. So they don’t remind me of good times or give me a feeling of unstoppable effervescence when I clutch them to my bosom. In fact, I feel more “ugh/blegh” when holding them.

shoes--tennis

According to Marie, that means I should definitely keep the silver shoes and donate the tennis shoes. But I can’t very well wear the sparking-joy-shoes while trying to imitate Kayla Itsines (aka, pretending I can do burpees and comandos like a boss lady), can I?

So instead of holding each item and thinking “does it spark joy,” I suggest holding each item and giving it a little more of a think. For example, my poor maligned tennis shoes; though they don’t spark joy because of their utilitarian nature, I am so grateful to have shoes in my closet in which it makes it easier for me to (pretend to) do burpees and squats. If something does not spark joy, does it nudge your gratitude?

I mentioned this in my closet clean-out post, but another example of sorting practical, non-sparking items is my simple white cami. This cami does not spark joy as it is incredibly unflattering when worn alone, but the lacy top it allows me to wear sends off fireworks of joy, and for that I am very grateful. Thank you, cami.

A final example if you are still finding this whole getting-rid-of-stuff tricky, take these slim looking Gazelles (below). I bought them because I had visions of me looking very fashion-editor-off-duty in cropped pants and long wool coat. I bought them for a ridiculous sum and they hurt my feet worse than any pair of heels I’ve had to break in. But I persevered because Pinterest had me believing I too could look like this.

For many reasons, I did not look like that when I had the unyielding Gazelles on my feet (not least because I might have been grimacing in pain). And, more importantly, it didn’t feel like me at all. I love the a sporty trend, but not so much on me. So as hard as it was to let them go, I did – hopefully to find a home with someone who holds them and slips them on their feet and it makes them feel like magic!

Shoe-walkaway